Lashing gear



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 4, 1968 H; v. HENDERSON v LASHING GEAR Filed June $50, 1966 FIG.

June 4, 1968 H. v. HENDERSON 3,386,253

LASHING GEAR Filed June 30, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INviN-I' L June 4, 1968 H. v. HENDERSON 3, 5,

LASHING GEAR Filed June 30, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.4

United States Patent 3,386,253 LASHING GEAR Herbert V. Henderson, Germiston, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa, assignor to Wright Anderson (South Africa) Limited, Boksburg North, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa Filed June 30, 1966, Ser. No. 561,984 Claims priority, application Republic of South Africa, July 9, 1965,"Ser. No. 65/3,633 Claims. (CI. 61-41) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lashing gear for a mine shaft is made up of members forming a rectangular frame and includes a pair of oppositely disposed members forming a track. A bridge is supported on the track for movement longitudinally thereof. The bridge carries a winch supporting carriage movable in a direction normal to the bridge movement. Adjustable means such as telescopic tube hangers, suspends the frame from sets of shaft steel in the walls of the mine shaft for vertical and angular adjustment.

This invention relates to lashing gear for sinking mine shafts and to a particular method of using lashing gear for this operation.

The invention finds particular application in the sinking of rectangular shafts.

In shaft sinking operations it is desirable to remove rock blasted from the bottom of the shaft as quickly as possible and mechanical lashing gear have been developed for this purpose. Most gear at present in use is designed specifically for use with circular shafts and to be supported from stagings lowered down the shaft during development thereof.

It is the object of this invention to provide a method of lashing using mechanical lashing gear and lashing gear particularly suitable for use in the sinking of rectangular shafts.

This invention provides lashing gear comprising a rigid rectangular frame one pair of oppositely disposed members thereof forming a track, and supporting thereon a bridge movable along the track with said bridge having movably mounted thereon a carriage carrying a winch from which is normally suspended a lashing grab and means for suspending the frame in a shaft.

Further features of this invention provide for the frame to carry jacks located adjacent each corner of the frame and for bridge, carriage and associated mechanism to be located below the upper level of the frame which can then be clad to provide an operational deck to form a staging in the shaft.

According to this invention there is also provided a method of lashing blasted rock during mine shaft sinking operations wherein sets of shaft steel are fixed in the shaft comprising suspending the lashing gear frame from a set of shaft steel, while a further set of shaft steel is bedded and the concrete allowed to cure and progressing down the shaft by lowering the lashing gear in a step by step manner using progressively lower sets of shaft steel to support the frame.

The invention further provides for the bridge and carriage to be provided with air or other-wise powered motors and for the drive assemblies for the bridge and carriage to be of the type described in U.=S. Patent No. 3,146,628, for :an invention entitled: Improvements in Overhead Haul-age Systems.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form of this in- 3,386,253 Patented June 4, 1968 vention with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

'FIG. 1 is a plan of the gear,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation without the wheel assemblies,

'FIG. 3 an elevation with the framework omitted, and

FIG. 4 illustrates one method of lowering the gear assembly.

The grab for the lashing gear has been omitted from all drawings except FIG. 4.

As shown the lashing gear 1 consists essentially of a rectangular frame 2 fabricated from castellated beams 3 and the size of this frame is such that it will fit closely within the limits of the shaft while permitting the frame 2 to be tipped in the longitudinal or transverse directions. Frames other than that set forth may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

The beams 3 forming the longitudinal sides 4 of the frame are made as tracks to support wheel assemblies 5 carrying a bridge structure 6 "between these beams. The bridge structure wheel assembly 5 on one side has an air motor 7 associated therewith so that the bridge structure 6 can be driven from one side of the frame 2 to the other.

A carriage 8 carrying a winch 9 and motor 10 for a cactus type lashing grab 11 is mounted on the bridge structure 6 and is provided with a suitable motor so that the carriage 8 may be made to traverse the bridge struc-. ture 6 in either direction.

The drive assembly for at least the carriage 8 is made substantially as is set out in the specification of the patent above referred to and this arrangement has been shown to provide a minimum slip between drive wheels 12 and track 13. As Will be understood from this specification increasing load on the carriage can be used to apply an increasing pressure of contact between the drive wheels 12 and the carriage rails 13.

While in the illustrations there is shown one particular arrangement where at least part of the apparatus mounted on the carriage 8 extends above the upper level of the frame 2 it will be appreciated that it can readily be arranged for all the apparatus to be located below the upper level of the frame 2 thus enabling the latter to be decked to provide a staging from which work other than lashing can be carried out in the shaft.

Telescopic tube hangers 14 are pivotally scured adjacent each upper corner 15 of the frame 2 with the hangers 14 shaped to releasably engage at their other ends the horizontal sets of the shaft steel 16. Outwardly directed air jacks 17 are also provided near the corners of the frame 2. The tube hangers may usually be replaceable by suitable slings of Wire rope and equal length if this is desirable.

In use where the lashing gear 1 is maintained in advance of the shaft steel 16 the frame 2 is supported from the last installed set of steel 16 and is held up by means of the tube hangers 14. While lashing takes place the air jacks 17 at the corners 15 of the frame 2 are extended to maintain the frame 2 rigidly in position. The jacks may be made to be automatically operable with the application of air-power to other units of the gear and in cases where at least some members of the frame 2 are made from tubular material such material may be made to form part of or house some of the jacks.

Further this example has been described as having the power used being air power but obviously alternative power arrangements can be utilised.

To increase the operational depth of the gear 1 and if necessary to facilitate the fixing of the next set of shaft steel (indicated in FIG. 2) the grab 11 and its associated cross-head may be released from the carriage 8 and lowered to the shaft floor. The winch rope 1-8 and the hoist rope 19 may then be used to support the gear 1 while the tube hangers 14 are extended and when these are fixed the winch and hoist will be used to position the shaft steel 16 for fixing.

Also as indicated in FIG. 4 surface or otherwise 10- cat-ed crab winches can be used to lower the frame as it is advanced if this is desired.

The grab 11 assembly can then be refitted and lashing operations continued.

When the concrete fixing a lower set of steel 16 has cured sufiiciently, the lashing gear will be lowered and suspended from this set of steel in the manner above described using the winch rope and a hoist rope for this purpose. It will be appreciated that even in cases where the shaft steel 16 must be fixed in advance of the lashing gear, FIG. 4 the manipulation with hoist and winch ropes enables the gear to be suitably tilted to pass through the spaces between the shaft steels to enable the tube hangers 14 to be attached to lower sets of shaft steel.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Mine shaft lashing gear comprising a rigid rectangular frame of members, one pair'of said members being oppositely disposed and forming a track, a bridge supported on the track for movement therealong and having a cartridge movable thereon normal to said bridge movement, said carriage supporting a winch from which is normally suspended a lashing grab, and adjustable means suspending the frame horizontally for vertical and angular adjustment in a mine shaft having at least one set of shaft steel in the walls thereof.

2. Lashing gear as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adjustable means comprises telescopic tube hangers 4 pivotally attached to the frame and to said set of shaft steel and forming the means for adjustably suspending the frame in the shaft.

3. Lashing gear as claimed in claim 1 in which outwardly directed locking jacks are mounted near each corner of the frame.

4. A method of lowering lashing gear in a mine shaft sinking operations wherein sets of shaft steel are fixed in the shaft comprising suspending the lashing gear frame from a set of shaft steel embedding a further set of shaft steel in concrete and allowing the latter to cure and progressing down the shaft by lowering the lashing gear in a step by step manner using progressively lower sets of shaft steel to support the frame, said frame being lowered from one set of shaft steel to the next by using its own winch and a shaft hoist rope reeving the hoist rope over a pulley suspended above the lashing gear and securing one end of said rope to the winch and the other to a steel below said pulley.

5. A method of lowering lashing gear in a mine shaft sinking operation as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for suspending the lashing gear comprises two different sets of telescopic tube hangers.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 1,005,535 12/1951 France.

593,162 10/1947 Great Britain. 1,010,763 11/1964 Great Britain.

JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner. 

